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Boston Eagles swoop to fourth title in rematch with Badgers

PHOTO BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

The Boston College Eagles pose for a photo with the NCAA National Champion trophy on April 10, 2010.

by Pete Bublitz petblitz@yahoo.com

WATCH: Press Conference after Semifinal Game One

WATCH: Highlights from Day One at the 2010 Frozen Four WATCH: Highlights from Day Two at the 2010 Frozen Four

DETROIT -- In front of a world record crowd of 37,592 at Ford Field (for indoor attendance of a hockey game), the Boston College Eagles posted a 5-0 shutout over the Wisconsin Badgers Saturday night to win the school’s all-time fourth NCAA Men’s Division I Ice Hockey Championship and third in the past ten years (following 2001 and 2008).

In the first championship game between the teams since 2006, B.C.’s daunting offense again established an unbreakable lead while its defense contributed with 17 blocked shots through three periods. Overall, the offense would manage to fire 26 shots on the net compared to Wisconsin’s 20.

It would be Ben Smith (#12) who opened up the scoring with a wrister from Steven Whitney (#21) at12:57 into the second. Also assisting on the play was Joe Whitney (#26).

Like the Eagles’ prior semifinal game, it would be Cam Atkinson (#13) whose contributions would kickstart a stretch that saw four goals scored within the third period. At 1:38 into the third, after receiving a pass from Joe Whitney, Atkinson fired a shot from the left circle in the Wisconsin zone that went five-hole on Badgers goalie Scott Gudmandson (#1). At 7:20 in, Atkinson would connect again while on the power play, with assists from J. Whitney and Brian Gibbons (#17).

In between, Chris Kreider (#19) would knock it in while parked in front of the net off a pass from the far right by Jimmy Hayes (#10), with a second assist going to Philip Samuelson (#5).

The final notch of the 2010 NCAA tournament came 15:29 in, when Matt Price (#25) wristed an unassisted shot from the center ice circle into an empty net.

It was Smith who mentioned however that the insurance behind their defensive display was Eagles goalie John Muse (#1). “Whenever we didn’t do a good job, John (Muse) was there to save the chances.”

From the viewpoint of Wisconsin’s tri-captain and Hobey Baker winner Blake Geoffrion, the advantage held by B.C. was the collapsing of lines in addition to the blocking of shots. “They were able to transition of off that and get good goal chances.”

For fellow Badger forward Ben Street, who played against Wisconsin as an Eagle in 2006, it seemed as though being down 1-0 after the first still left room for plenty of momentum based on comebacks occurring at the same deficit earlier this season.

“It’s not any different. We kept the same mentality,” he said. “I thought the last half of the first period and on into the second period we had pretty good momentum going. We just never found the back of the net.”

For Muse, the championship win raised his Tournament record to 8-0, with the first four occurring during Boston College’s 2008 title run. During the 2010 tournament, Muse has allowed nine goals while making 97 saves off of 106 shots. In both National Title games, Muse allowed only one goal, thus becoming the fourth goalie in championship game history to post a shutout.

Adding to the satisfaction of a title was the drama of having to spend a portion of last year rehabilitating from hip surgery. “When I went into the surgery, they told me I was going to be on crutches for two weeks afterwards,” he said. “When I woke up from the surgery, they told me that they had found a lot more than they had originally thought inside my hip. They told me I was going to be on crutches for nine weeks.”

With such a successful season, the cap to Muse’s endurance and performance was his selection as goalie to the 2010 All-Tournament Team. Making the rest of the squad were teammates Atkinson, Smith, J. Whitney, and defenseman Brian Dumoulin (#2), with Wisconsin’s Brendan Smith (#7) filling in the other defenseman spot.

The Eagles’ Smith would also earn most Outstanding Player honors, scoring three goals and three assists with a plus/minus of +3 in four games, thought they’re rather low numbers when compared to some of his teammates’ production.

In all four tournament games, the leading scorers ahead of Smith were Joe Whitney, with three goals, seven assists, and a +8; and Atkinson with six goals and one assist alongside a +8.

The shutout ended the scoring streaks of several Wisconsin players, the most significant coming from Geoffrion. In each of the three games prior, he managed a multipoint performance for a total of three goals and four assists, tying Brendan Smith for the team lead in individual points during the tournament.

Perhaps the most significant milestones of the game surrounded the winning coach, Jerry York. Among these, which was pointed out by the Eagles’ Smith, was that it was Coach York’s 850th win of his career. “You know you’re doing something right,” he said in reference to the feat.

In his tournament career, the win brought York’s record to 33-18-1 through 17 appearances overall, and 28-8 in 11 tournaments with Boston College. Earning a fourth title, the first coming with Bowling Green in 1984, puts York at third place all-time among coaches with the most championships. He now trails Vic Heyliger (who led Michigan to six from 1948 to 1956) and Murray Armstrong (who won five with Denver in the span of 1958-1969).

As for the whole of the Frozen Four weekend, records were tied, shattered and made on and off the ice. Thursday’s indoor attendance record for a hockey game was topped in one game Saturday, as contrast to two several nights prior. Combined, attendance stood at 72,546.

In total goal differential, the three Frozen Four games tied the all-time record at 18 goals (with the winners scoring 20 to the loser’s two). The only other occurrence of this record was the 1961 tournament, when Denver and St. Lawrence combined for 24 goals while the defeated St. Lawrence, Rensselaer, and Minnesota produced six total).

Finally, 2010 was the first time in NCAA history that every Frozen Four game saw a minimum five-goal differential. Before this year, the differential minimum in each game was four, which happened in 1951 (with differentials of six, four, and six) and 1958 (four, eight, and four).

Though some might have the final score as rather anti-climactic, history was still made in a big. During a stoppage in the third period, it was announced that the Frozen Four games that night had set an indoor hockey game attendance record of 34,954. Whether that count will be topped depends on who flies or scampers in to cheer for these two finalists.

 

PHOTO BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

A Boston College player lifts with NCAA championship trophy.

 

PHOTO BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

Boston beat Wisconsin, 5-0 in the national championship game at Ford Field.

 

RETURN TO OUR COVERAGE OF THE 2010 FROZEN FOUR